I have just completed hand wrapping an antique gold / black metalic underwrap on my second rod.

Having read this forum and some of the search topics, I made sure to keep fairly tight tension and packed often with my fingernail. So far, so good. I am happy with the look at this stage.

Studying up here, it looks like many of you use permagloss on the under wraps prior to doing the guide wraps. I don't have any of that but have plenty of Flex Coat finish and was wondering if there were any concerns or suggestions about using a thin coat of that prior to doing the guide wraps. I intend to do the guides with Black NCP.

Also, what about CP on the metalic? I know there are many opinions about CP out here, but what about on metalics specifically?

As always, your guidance and suggestions are greatly appreciated!

~Troy

CP will help seal the underwrap making it easier to wrap over, but that's the only benefit you'll get. A light coat of your Flex-Coat will do the same thing. If you are using a larger thread for the guide wraps than you did for the underwraps, you should be ok even without coating the underwrap. I assume you are familiar with NCP black. In case you aren't, be aware it tends to finish a lighter color than you see on the spool. It may come out with a gray, or even slight purple, tint. If you want a true black wrap, go with regular nylon black.

Jay

CP on metallics has no effect other than dulling the effect and in your case, reducing some bubbling. When I do underwraps, I like to finish them to not only reduce bubbling but give a better base to wrap over. You don't need to increase thread diameter to get a good looking wrap. A over A is easily done, with or without CP or finish but the CP and/or finish makes it that much easier.

Jay makes a great point. Black NCP is some strange stuff and you are more likely to see purple than black depending on the CP/finish/combinations that you use. If you want black, go with standard nylon.

Also what ever direction you do the underwrap in - do the overwrap in the other direction. Helps to keep the thread out from in between the threads

Good tip Bill.

Jay

If you were planning on putting Color Preserver (CP) on your Metallic underwraps, use it sparingly, and let it dry completely or you may get some milking and / or splotching when or after you apply your thread finish (epoxy or varnish, either type can have this problem). ... Or better yet, do not apply CP to Metallic threads at all. ... This very subject came up a few days ago right here at RBO. Take a look at this RBO Thread and the photograph posted by Daniel Rotea to see exactly what I am talking about. He put CP on Metallic under & over wraps.

Problems with CP (milky finish) - Daniel Rotea - March 8, 2005
[www.rodbuilding.org]

If you want more general and extensive advice on this subject, send me an e-mail request. I just sent more than 3-pages to Daniel Rotea this morning on this very subject, and I can FWD to you exactly what I sent to him if you ask.

LOL, -Cliff Hall, Gainesville, FL- cmkmhall@ufl.edu

Where'd the black nylon, black NCP come from? He's using black metallic??

Putter
Williston, ND

His guide wraps will be black NCP. Paragraph 3, last sentence.

Jay

Aha, now I see!

Putter

Guys:

Thanks for all the great advise. Especially the black NCP thread. I had no idea. Just picked up about 8 spools of different colors that were on close out.

I'll try a test sample on some scrap blank to see how this will look. Grey might not be bad, I don't know about purple appearance though.

I am also planning to inlay a pheasant tail feather or two instead of a but wrap so we'll see how the sample looks.

Thanks again for all the input!!

~Troy